Memoirs about royalty – both the monarchic and musical varieties – and books with screen adaptations were among the items that Baltimore County Public Library patrons borrowed most in 2024.
BCPL on Friday released its list of the year’s most checked-out books. The library system circulated more than 8 million physical items during Fiscal Year 2024.
“Baltimore County is a community of readers,” said CEO Sonia Alcántara Antoine. “We are proud to offer such a large collection of diverse materials that continue to inspire or entertain.”
More than 1,850 BCPL patrons checked out Bonnie Garmus’ novel “Lessons in Chemistry,” earning it the top spot on this year’s list of most-circulated adult fiction books. The 2022 novel, which tells the story of a woman chemist in the 1960s, was made into an Apple TV+ miniseries that streamed in the fall of 2023. This was the second year that “Lessons in Chemistry” was featured on the system’s adult fiction books list.
“The popularity of Lessons in Chemistry likely bolstered to the top of the charts again because of the Apple TV+ series,” said BCPL Collection Development Manager Jamie Watson.
Second on that list was Kristin Hannah’s “The Women,” about a young woman serving in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War. It was also the most-circulated adult fiction eBook.
“The second most checked out book, Kristin Hannah’s The Women, was optioned for a film by Warner Bros., so it may be around for a bit longer too,” Watson said. “I love how often a show or movie makes people want to read the book first (or after!).”
At the top of the adult nonfiction book list, Peter Attia’s “Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity” was borrowed more than 600 times.
Some celebrity memoirs also made the list, including Prince Harry’s “Spare” in the No. 2 spot and Britney Spears’ “The Woman in Me” at No. 4.
The full top 5 lists for adult fiction and adult nonfiction, as well as top titles in other categories, can be found below:
Top 5 Adult Fiction Books Circulated in 2024:
- Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- The Women by Kristin Hannah
- Think Twice by Harlan Coben
- The Exchange by John Grisham
- Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly
Top 5 Adult Nonfiction Books Circulated in 2024:
- Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity by Peter Attia
- Spare by Prince Harry
- The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson
- The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
- Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
Top Circulated Books in Other Categories:
- Adult Fiction eBook – The Women by Kristin Hannah
- Adult Nonfiction eBook – Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb
- Adult Fiction Audiobook – The Teacher by Freida McFadden
- Adult Nonfiction Audiobook – I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
